Have you ever had a moment or an experience that shaped your life?

Or were you ever surrounded by the worst circumstances that you didn’t know what to do next? I recently just traveled back from Ecuador and this trip was definitely an experience.

This is something that I will never forget and I want to share it with you.

During my trip, I didn’t stay at a fancy hotel with room service and private access to the beach (because that’s just not me!). Instead, my husband and I traveled along the coast roaming from town to town in a huge jeep engaging with the locals. We arrived during the last few weeks of March which in Ecuador is the rain season.

While traveling from village to village we were completely surrounded by flooded streets and debris. The rain became so hazardous that during our stay, we saw houses completely destroyed and families picking up the pieces of what remained of their home.

Everything that they had was now gone!

documentary photography in ecuador

It was heartbreaking to see families standing on the side of the road waiting for the water to subside. I looked at my husband and said that I could not imagine the devastation they must be feeling. But regardless of the natural disaster, I noticed something that I thought was a little off.

There wasn’t a single frown in sight.

In fact, the people in these small villages viewed this as an everyday occurrence, almost numb to the event and continued working. They all possessed strength and unity that I haven’t seen in a very long time and for that, I was able to see the tiny miracles during my trip and how the human spirit can endure more then we think.

(Click on the image below to see the series Milagro)

documentary photography in ecuador

Although this will definitely not be my last trip to South America, I will always keep the memories of Ecuador and the strength of its people in my heart. It’s allowed me to see the struggle in a simple phrase:

No matter what’s happened in your life, your spirit can never be broken.

Now it’s your turn: How can you see miracles in your everyday life? What can you take away from this that will help you see the world in a better light? Leave a comment below and let me know what defining moment made you change your image on life. And if you like this post, make sure you share it with your friends, family, or on social media!

Til next time,